Linking of computers based on steganographically embedded digital data

ABSTRACT

A printed object, such as an item of postal mail, a book, printed advertising, a business card, product packaging, etc., is steganographically encoded with plural-bit data. When such an object is presented to an optical sensor, the plural-bit data is decoded and used to establish a link to an internet address corresponding to that object.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/342,689, filed Jun.29, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,214, which is a continuation-in-part ofapplication Ser. No. 09/130,624, filed Aug. 6, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No.6,324,573, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/508,083(now U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,978) filed Jul. 27, 1995. Application Ser. No.09/342,689 is also a continuation-in part of copending application Ser.No. 09/314,648, filed May 19, 1999. Application Ser. No. 09/342,689 isalso a continuation-in-part of copending provisional application No.60/134,782, also filed May 19, 1999.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates optical user interfaces that sensedigitally-encoded objects. The invention further relates to systemsusing such optical interfaces to control computers, and to navigate overor act as portals on networks.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

“Bedoop.” That might be the sound that someone might hear as they lazilyplace a magazine advertisement in front of their desktop camera.Magically, the marketing and sales web site associated with the ad isdisplayed on their computer. More information? Want to buy now? Look atthe full product line? No problem.

“Bedoop.” That might be the same sound when that same someone placestheir credit card in front of their desktop camera. Instantly, theproduct displayed on the web page is purchased. Behind the scenes, asecure purchase link is initiated, transmitting all requisiteinformation to the vendor. Twist the credit card clockwise and thepurchaser chooses overnight delivery.

So goes an exemplary embodiment of the invention further described inthis application. Though this example is rather specific, itnevertheless alludes to an indescribably vast array of applicationspossible when a digital camera or other optical sensing device is turnedinto a general purpose user interface device with an intuitive powerthat very well might rival the mouse and the keyboard.

The centerpiece of the invention is that an object or paper productso-scanned contains digital information that can be quickly read andacted upon by an appropriately configured device, computer or appliance.The preferred embodiment envisions that this digital information isaesthetically hidden on objects. These objects have been previously andpro-actively marked with the digital information, using any of the broadranges of printing and processing techniques which are available on themarket and which are widely described in the open literature and patentliterature surrounding digital watermarking.

Be this as it may, though the invention concentrates on flat objectapplications wherein the digital information is often imperceptiblyintegrated into the object, it is certainly not meant to be so limited.Objects can be three dimensional in nature and the information morevisually overt and/or pre-existing (i.e., not “pro-actively” embedded,or not even be “digital,” per se). Different implementationconsiderations attach to these variants. Likewise, though the bulk ofthis disclosure concentrates on objects which have some form of digitalmessage attached thereto, some aspects of the invention may apply toobjects which have no such thing, where the prior arts of patternrecognition and gestural input can be borrowed in combination with thisinvention to effect yet a broader array of applications.

“Bedoop.” The sound that a refrigerator might make, outfitted with asimple camera/processor unit/net connection, as the ten year old holdsup the empty milk carton and a ping goes out to the local grocery store,adding the item to an accumulating delivery list. The sound that mightbe heard echoing over and over inside Internet cafés as heretoforecomputerphobes take their first skeptical steps onto the world wide web.The sound heard at the fast food counter as the repeat customer holds uptheir sandwich card ticking off their latest meal, hoping for the sirensto go off for a $500 prize given to the lucky customer of the week. Bluesky scenarios abound.

This invention is therefore about powerful new user interfaces tocomputers involving optical input. These new user interfaces extend intothe everyday world in ways that a mouse and keyboard never could. Byenabling everyday objects to communicate their identities and functionsto ever-attendant devices, not only will the world wide web be given anentirely new dimension, but basic home and office computing may be instore for some fundamental advances as well.

These and a great many other features of the present invention will bemore readily apparent from the following detailed description, whichproceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is another block diagram showing an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Basically, the technology detailed in this disclosure may be regarded asenhanced systems by which users can interact with computer-baseddevices. Their simple nature, and adaptability for use with everydayobjects (e.g., milk cartons), makes the disclosed technology well suitedfor countless applications.

Due to the great range and variety of subject matter detailed in thisdisclosure, an orderly presentation is difficult to achieve. As will beevident, many of the topical sections presented below are both foundedon, and foundational to, other sections. For want of a better rationale,the sections are presented below in a more or less random order. Itshould be recognized that both the general principles and the particulardetails from each section find application in other sections as well. Toprevent the length of this disclosure from ballooning out of control,the various permutations and combinations of the features of thedifferent sections are not exhaustively detailed. The inventors intendto explicitly teach such combinations/permutations, but practicalityrequires that the detailed synthesis be left to those who ultimatelyimplement systems in accordance with such teachings.

Basic Principles—Refrigerators and Clutter

Referring to FIG. 1, a basic embodiment 10 of the present inventionincludes an optical sensor 12, a computer 14, and a network connection16 to the internet 18. The illustrated optical sensor 12 is a digitalcamera having a resolution of 320 by 200 pixels (color or black andwhite) that stares out, grabbing frames of image data five times persecond and storing same in one or more frame buffers. These frames ofimage data are analyzed by a computer 14 for the presence of Bedoopdata. (Essentially, Bedoop data is any form of digital data encodingrecognized by the system 10—data which, in many embodiments, initiatessome action.) Once detected, the system responds in accordance with thedetected Bedoop data (e.g., by initiating some local action, or bycommunication with a remote computer, such as over the internet, via anonline service such as AOL, or using point-to-point dial-upcommunications, as with a bulletin board system.

Consider the milk carton example. The artwork on a milk carton can beadapted to convey Bedoop data. In the preferred embodiment, the Bedoopdata is steganographically encoded (e.g., digitally watermarked) on thecarton. Numerous digital watermarking techniques are known—all of whichconvey data in a hidden form (i.e., on human inspection, it is notapparent that digitally encoded data is present). Exemplary techniquesoperate by slightly changing the luminance, or contours, of selectedpoints on artwork or text printed on the carton, or splatter tinydroplets of ink on the carton in a seemingly random pattern. Each ofthese techniques has the effect of changing the local luminance at areasacross the carton—luminance changes that can be detected by the computer14 and decoded to extract the encoded digital data. In the case of amilk carton, the data may serve to identify the object as, e.g., a halfgallon carton of Alpenrose brand skim milk.

The FIG. 1 apparatus can be integrated into the door of a refrigeratorand used to compile a shopping list. Milk cartons, and otherBedoop-encoded packaging 20, can be held up the optical sensor. When thecomputer 14 detects the presence of Bedoop data and successfully decodessame, it issues a confirmation tone (“be-doop”) from a speaker or otheraudio transducer 22. The computer then adds data identifying thejust-detected object to a grocery list. This list can be maintainedlocally (in disk storage, non-volatile RAM 24, or the like in therefrigerator, or elsewhere in the home), or remotely (e.g., at a serverlocated at a user-selected grocery, or elsewhere). In either event, thelist is desirably displayed on a display in the user's home (e.g., anLCD screen 26 built into the front of the appliance). Conventional userinterface techniques can be employed permitting the user to scrollthrough the displayed list, delete items as desired, etc.

Periodically, the listed groceries can be purchased and the listcleared. In one embodiment, the list is printed (either at the home orat the grocery), and the user walks the grocery aisles and purchasessame in the conventional manner. In another embodiment, the grocer pullsthe listed items from the shelves (in response to a user requestconveyed by the internet or telephone, or by a gesture as hereafterdetailed). Once the list has been pulled, the grocer can alert the userthat the groceries are available for pickup (again, e.g., by internet ortelephone message), or the grocer can simply deliver the groceriesdirectly to the user's home. Naturally, on-line payment mechanisms canbe employed if desired.

Consider a wholly unrelated Bedoop application. An Excel spreadsheet isprinted onto paper, and the paper becomes buried in a stack of clutteron an office worker's desk. Months later the spreadsheet again becomesrelevant and is dug out of the stack. Changes need to be made to thedata, but the file name has long-since been forgotten. The worker simplyholds the dug-out page in front of a camera associated with the desktopcomputer. A moment later, the electronic version of the file appears onthe worker's computer display.

When the page was originally printed, tiny droplets of ink or toner weredistributed across the paper in a pattern so light as to be essentiallyun-noticeable, but which steganographically encoded the page with aplural-bit binary number (e.g., 64 bits). A database (e.g., maintainedby the operating system, the Excel program, the printer driver, etc.)stored part of this number (e.g., 24 bits, termed a Univeral Identifieror UID) in association with the path and file name at which theelectronic version of the file was stored, the page number within thedocument, and other useful information (e.g., author of the file,creation date, etc.).

The steganographic encoding of the document, and the updating of thedatabase, can be performed by the software application (e.g., Excel).This option can be selected once by the user and applied thereafter toall printed documents (e.g., by a user selection on an “Options”drop-down menu), or can be presented to the user as part of the Printdialog window and selected (or not) for each print job.

When such a printed page is later presented to the camera, the computerautomatically detects the presence of the encoded data on the page,decodes same, consults the database to identify the filename/location/page corresponding to the UID data, and opens theidentified file to the correct page (e.g., after launching Excel). Thisapplication is one of many “paper as portal” applications of the Bedooptechnology.

The foregoing are but two of myriad applications of the technologydetailed herein. In the following discussion a great many otherapplications are disclosed (some groundbreaking, a few gimmicky).However, regardless of the length of the specification, it is possibleonly to begin to explore a few of the vast ramifications of thistechnology.

A few more details on the basic embodiments described above may behelpful before delving into other applications.

Optics

For any system to decode steganographically encoded data from an object,the image of the object must be adequately focused on the digitalcamera's CCD (or other) sensor. In a low cost embodiment, the camera hasa fixed nominal focal length, e.g., in the range of 6-24 inches (greateror lesser lengths can of course be used). Since the camera iscontinuously grabbing and analyzing frames of data, the user can movethe object towards- or away-from the sensor until the decoder succeedsin decoding the steganographically encoded data and issues a confirming“Bedoop” audio signal.

In more elaborate embodiments, known auto-focusing technology can beemployed.

In still other embodiments, the camera (or other sensor) can be equippedwith one or more auxiliary fixed-focus lenses that can be selectivelyused, depending on the particular application. Some such embodimentshave a first fixed focused lens that always overlies the sensor, withwhich one or more auxiliary lenses can be optically cascaded (e.g., byhinge or slide arrangements). Such arrangements are desirable, e.g.,when a camera is not a dedicated Bedoop sensor but also performs otherimaging tasks. When the camera is to be used for Bedoop, the auxiliarylens is positioned (e.g., flipped into) place, changing the focal lengthof the first lens (which may by unsuitably long for Bedoop purposes,such as infinity) to an appropriate Bedoop imaging range (such as onefoot).

Other lens-switching embodiments do not employ a fixed lens that alwaysoverlies the sensor, but instead employ two or more lenses that can bemoved into place over the sensor. By selecting different lenses, focallengths such as infinity, six feet, and one foot can be selected.

In all such arrangements, it is desirable (but not essential) that thesteganographically-encoded portion of the object being imaged fills asubstantial part of the image frame. The object can be of various sizes,e.g., an 10 by 12 inch front panel of a cereal box, or a proof ofpurchase certificate that is just one inch square. To meet thisrequirement, small objects will obviously need to be placed closer tothe camera than large objects. The optics of the system can be designed,e.g., by selection of suitable aperture sizing and auxiliary lighting(if needed), to properly image objects of various sizes within a rangeof focal distances.

Some embodiments avoid issues of focal distances and identifying theintended object by constraining the size of the object and/or itsplacement. An example is a business card reader that is designed for thesole task of imaging business cards. Various such devices are known.

Decoding/Encoding

The analysis of the image data can be accomplished in various knownways. Presently, most steganographic decoding relies on general purposemicroprocessors that are programmed by suitable software instructions toperform the necessary analysis. Other arrangements, such as usingdedicated hardware, reprogrammable gate arrays, or other techniques, canof course be used.

The steganographic decoding process may entail three steps. In thefirst, the object is located. In the second, the object's orientation isdiscerned. In the third, the Bedoop data is extracted from the imagedata corresponding to the Bedoop object.

The first step, object location, can be assisted by various clues. Oneis the placement of the object; typically the center of the image fieldwill be a point on the object. The surrounding data can then be analyzedto try and discern the object's boundaries.

Another location technique is slight movement. Although the user willtypically try to hold the object still, there will usually be somejitter of the Bedoop object within the image frame (e.g., a few pixelsback and forth). Background visual clutter, in contrast, will typicallybe stationary. Such movement may thus be sensed and used to identify theBedoop object from within the image data.

Still another object-location clue is object shape. Many Bedoop objectsare rectangular in shape (or trapezoidal as viewed by the camera).Straight edge boundaries can thus be used to define an area of likelyBedoop data.

Color is a further object identification clue that may be useful in somecontexts.

Yet another object location clue is spatial frequency. In imagingsystems with well defined focal zones, undesired visual clutter may beat focal distances that results in blurring. The Bedoop object, incontrast, will be in focus and may be characterized by fine detail.Analyzing the image data for the high frequencies associated with finedetail can be used to distinguish the intended object from others.

Characteristic markings on the object (as discussed below in connectionwith determining object orientation), can also be sensed and used inlocating the object.

Once the Bedoop object has been located within the image data, maskingcan be applied (if desired) to eliminate image data not corresponding tothe intended object.

The second step in the decoding process—determining orientation of theBedoop data—can likewise be discerned by reference to visual clues. Forexample, some objects include subliminal graticule data, or othercalibration data, steganographically encoded with the Bedoop data to aidin determining orientation. Others can employ overt markings, eitherplaced for that sole purpose (e.g. reference lines or fiducials), orserving another purpose as well (e.g. lines of text), to discernorientation. Edge-detection algorithms can also be employed to deducethe orientation of the object by reference to its edges.

Some embodiments filter the image data at some point in the process toaid in ultimate Bedoop data extraction. One use of such filtering is tomitigate image data artifacts due to the particular optical sensor. Forexample, CCD arrays have regularly-spaced sensors that sample theoptical image at uniformly spaced discrete points. This discretesampling effects a transformation of the image data, leading to certainimage artifacts. An appropriately configured filter can mitigate theeffect of these artifacts.

(In some arrangements, the step of determining the orientation can beomitted. Business card readers, for example, produce data that isreliably free of artifacts and is of known scale. Or the encoding of theBedoop data can be effected in such a way that renders it relativelyimmune to certain distortion mechanisms. For example, while thepresently-preferred encoding arrangement operates on a 2D grid basis,with rows and columns of data points, the encoding can alternatively bedone on another basis (e.g., a rotationally-symmetric form of encoding,such as a 2D bar-code, so that rotational state of the image data can beignored). In still other embodiments, the orientation-determining stepcan be omitted because the decoding can readily proceed without thisinformation. For example decoding which relies on the Fourier-Mellintransform produces data in which scale and rotation can be ignored.)

Once the orientation of the object is discerned, the image data may bevirtually re-registered, effectively mapping it to another perspective(e.g., onto a rectilinear image plane). This mapping can employ knownimage processing techniques to compensate, e.g., for rotation state,scale state, differential scale state, and X-Y offset, of the originalBedoop image data. The resulting frame of data may then be more readilyprocessed to extract the steganographically-encoded Bedoop data.

In the preferred embodiment, after the image data is remapped intorectilinear planar form, subliminal graticule data is sensed thatidentifies the locations within the image data where the binary data isencoded. Desirably, the binary data is redundantly encoded, e.g., in 8×8patch blocks. Each patch comprises one or more pixels. (The patches aretypically square, and thus contain 1, 4, 9, or 16, etc. pixels.) Thenominal luminance of each patch before encoding (e.g., artworkpre-existing on the object) is slightly increased or decreased to encodea binary “1” or “0.” The change is slight enough to be generallyimperceptible to human observers, yet statistically detectable from theimage data—especially if several such blocks are available for analysis.Preferably, the degree of change is adapted to the character of theunderlying image, with relatively greater changes being made in regionswhere the human eye is less likely to notice them. Each block thusencoded can convey 64 bits of data. The encoding of such blocks in tiledfashion across the object permits the data to be conveyed in robustfashion.

Much of the time, of course, the Bedoop sensor is staring out andgrabbing image frames that have no Bedoop data. Desirably, the detectionprocess includes one or more checks to assure that Bedoop data is notwrongly discerned from non-Bedoop image data. Various techniques can beemployed to validate the decoded data, e.g., error detecting codes canbe included in the Bedoop payload and checked to confirm correspondencewith the other Bedoop payload. Likewise, the system can confirm that thesame Bedoop data is present in different tiled excerpts within the imagedata, etc.

(Details of the preferred encoding techniques are further detailed inco-pending application Ser. No. 09/293,601, filed Apr. 15, 1999, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,427,020, entitled METHODS AND DEVICES FOR RECOGNIZINGBANKNOTES AND RESPONDING ACCORDINGLY, Ser. No. 09/127,502, filed Jul.31, 1998, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,260.)

Data Structures, Formats, Protocols, and Infrastructures

In an exemplary system, the Bedoop data payload is 64 bits. This payloadis divided into three fields CLASS (12 bits), DNS (24 bits) and UID (24bits). (Other payload lengths, fields, and divisions, are of coursepossible, as is the provision of error-checking or error-correctingbits.)

Within the above-described eight patch-by-eight patch data block, thebits are ordered row by row, starting with the upper left patch. Thefirst 12 bits are the CLASS ID, followed by 24 bits of DNS data followedby 24 bits of UID data. (In other embodiments, the placement of bitscomprising these three fields can be scrambled throughout the block.)

Briefly, the CLASS ID is the most rudimentary division of Bedoop data,and may be analogized, in the familiar internet taxonomy, limited numberof top level domains (e.g., .com, .net, .org, .mil, .edu, .jp, .de, .uk,etc.). It is basically an indicator of object type. The DNS ID is anintermediate level of data, and may be analogized to internet serveraddresses (e.g., biz.yahoo, interactive.wsj, etc.) The UID is the finestlevel of granularity, and can roughly be analogized to internet pages ona particular server (e.g., edition/current/summaries/front.htm,daily/home/default.hts, etc.).

Generally speaking, the CLASS ID and DNS ID, collectively, indicate tothe system what sort of Bedoop data is on the object. In the case ofBedoop systems that rely on remote servers, the CLASS and DNS IDs areused in identifying the server computer that will respond to the Bedoopdata. The UID determines precisely what response should be provided.

In the case of a refrigerator Bedoop system, what happens if an objectwith an unfamiliar CLASS/DNS ID data is encountered? The system can beprogrammed not to respond at all, or to respond with a raspberry-likesound (or other feedback) indicating “I see a Bedoop object but don'tknow what to do with it.”

Most systems will be able to respond to several classes of Bedoopobjects. Simple software-based systems can compare the CLASS/DNS ID (andoptionally the UID) to fixed values, and can branch program execution tocorresponding subroutines. Likewise, hardware-based systems can activatedifferent circuitry depending on the detected CLASS/DNS ID.

In the case of a computer equipped with a Bedoop input device (e.g., aSony VAIO PictureBook laptop with built-in camera), the operatingsystem's registry database can be employed to associate differentapplication programs with different CLASS/DNS IDs (just as the .XLS and.DOC file extensions are commonly associated by existing operatingsystem registries to invoke Microsoft Excel and Word softwareapplications, respectively). When a new Bedoop application is installed,it logs an entry in the registry database indicating the CLASS/DNS ID(s)that it will handle. Thereafter, when an object with such a CLASS/DNS IDis encountered, the operating system automatically launches thecorresponding application to service the Bedoop data in an appropriatemanner.

Sometimes the computer system may encounter a Bedoop object for which itdoes not have a registered application program. In such case, a defaultBedoop application can be invoked. This default application can, e.g.,establish an internet link to a remote server computer (or a network ofsuch computers), and can transmit the Bedoop data (or a part of theBedoop data) to that remote computer. The remote server can undertakethe response itself, it can instruct the originating computer how torespond appropriately, or it can undertake some combination of these tworesponses. (Such arrangements are further considered below.)

FIG. 2 shows an illustrative architecture employing the foregoingarrangement.

At a local Bedoop system 28 (which may be implemented, for example,using a conventional personal computer 29), a camera, scanner, or otheroptical sensor 30 provides image data to a decoder 32 (which may beimplemented as a software component of the operating system 33). Thedecoder 32 analyzes the image data to discern the plural-bit Bedoopdata. The CLASS ID of this Bedoop data is applied to a Bedoop registry34. The registry responds by identifying and launching a local Bedoopapplication 36 designed to service the discerned Bedoop data.

Sometimes the system 28 may encounter a Bedoop object for which severaldifferent responses may be appropriate. In the case of a printed officedocument, for example, one response may be as described above—to presetthe electronic version of the file on a computer, ready for editing. Butother responses may also be desired, such as writing an email message tothe author of the printed document, with the author's email addressalready specified in the message address field, etc.

Such different responses may be handled by different Bedoopapplications, or may be options that are both provided by a singleBedoop application. In the former case, when the CLASS/DNS IDs aredecoded and provided to the operating system, the registry indicatesthat there are two (or more) programs that might be invoked. Theoperating system can then present a dialog box to the user inviting theuser to specify which form of response is desired. Optionally, a defaultchoice can be made if the user doesn't specify within a brief period(e.g., three seconds). The operating system can then launch the Bedoopapplication corresponding to the chosen response.

A similar arrangement can be employed if a single Bedoop application canprovide both responses. In such case the operating system launches thesingle Bedoop application (since there is no ambiguity to be resolved),and the application presents the choice to the user. Again, the user canselect, or a default choice can be automatically made.

In the just-described situations, the user can effect the choice byusing the keyboard or mouse—as with traditional dialog boxes. But Bedoopprovides another, usually easier, form of interaction. The user can makethe selection through the optical sensor input. For example, moving theobject to the right can cause a UI button on the right side of thedialog box to be selected; moving the object to the left can cause a UIbutton on the left side of the dialog box to be selected; moving theobject towards the camera can cause the selected button to be activated.Many other such techniques are possible, as discussed below.

If the registry 34 does not recognize, or otherwise does not know how torespond to Bedoop data of that particular CLASS/DNS, the registrylaunches a default Bedoop client application. This client application,in turn, directs a web browser 40 on the local Bedoop system 28 tocommunicate with a remote master registration server computer 42. Thelocal computer forwards the Bedoop data to this master server. Themaster server 42 examines the CLASS ID, and forwards the Bedoop data(directly, or through intervening servers) to a corresponding CLASSserver 44. (A single server may handle Bedoop data of several classes,but more typically there is a dedicated server for each CLASS.)

Each CLASS server 44 serves as the root of a tree 46 of distributed DNSservers. A DNS server 48 a, for example, in a first tier 50 of the DNSserver tree, may handle Bedoop data having DNS IDs beginning with “000.”Likewise, DNS server 48 b may handle Bedoop data having DNS IDsbeginning with “001,” etc., etc.

Each DNS server in the first tier 50 may, in turn, route Bedoop data toone of 8 servers in a second tier of the tree, in accordance with thefourth- through sixth bits of the DNS data. The tree continues in thisfashion until a terminal level of DNS leaf node servers 56.

Ultimately, Bedoop data routed into this network reaches a DNS leaf nodeserver 56. That leaf node server may handle the Bedoop data, or mayredirect the local Bedoop system to a further server 58 that does so.That ultimate server—whether a DNS leaf node server or a furtherserver—can query the local Bedoop system for further information, ifnecessary, and can either instruct the local Bedoop system how torespond, or can undertake some or all of the response itself and simplyrelay appropriate data back to the local Bedoop system.

In arrangements in which the local Bedoop system is redirected, by theDNS leaf node server, to a further server that actually handles theresponse, access to the further server may be through a port 59 (e.g., aspecial URL) tailored to receipt of Bedoop data.

In a typical implementation, most or all of the servers are mirrored, orotherwise replicated/redundant, so that failure of individual computersdoes not impair operation of the system.

Caching can be provided throughout the trees of servers to speedresponses. That is, responses by leaf nodes for certainlycommonly-encountered CLASS/DNS IDs can be temporarily stored earlier inthe tree(s). Bedoop data, propagating through the server network, canprompt a response from an intermediate server if there is a cache hit.

If desired, Bedoop traffic through the above-detailed server trees canbe monitored to collect demographic and statistical information as towhat systems are sending what Bedoop data, etc. One use of suchinformation is to dynamically reconfigure the DNS network to betterbalance server loads, to virtually relocate DNS resources nearer regionsof heavy usage, etc. Another use of such information is for marketingpurposes, e.g., to promote certain Bedoop features and applicationswithin user groups (e.g., internet domains) that seem to under-utilizethose features.

Within certain user networks that are linked to the internet, e.g.,corporate networks, Bedoop data that isn't handled within theoriginating Bedoop system may first be routed to a Bedoop name serverwithin the corporate network. That server will recognize certain typesof Bedoop data, and know of resources within the corporate networksuitable for handling same. Referral to such resources within thecorporate network will be made, where possible. These resources (e.g.,corporate servers) may respond to Bedoop data in a way customized to thecorporate preferences. If the corporate Bedoop name server does not knowof a resource within the corporate network that can respond to theBedoop data, the corporate name server then routes the data to thepublic Bedoop network described above. (Such referral can be to themaster registration server or, to the extent the corporate name serverknows the addresses of appropriate servers within the DNS server tree,or of the further servers to which DNS servers may point for certainBedoop data, it can redirect the local Bedoop system accordingly.)

In typical rich Bedoop implementations, local systems may have librariesof Bedoop services, applications, or protocols. Some may be unique tothat computer. Others may be commonly available on all computers. Somemay be highly secure, employing encryption and/or anti-hacking measures,or data protocols that are not generally recognized. Others may beshareware, or the result of open-source programming efforts.

Greeting Cards, Birthday Cards, Etc.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, greeting cardsand the like are encoded (e.g., by texturing, printing, etc.) withBedoop data. On receiving such a card, a recipient holds it in front ofthe image capture device on a laptop or other computer. The computerresponds by displaying an internet web page that has a stock- orcustomized-presentation (image, video, audio-video, etc.) to complementthat presented on the greeting card.

The web site presentation can be personalized by the sender (e.g., witha text message, recent family photographs, etc.), either at the point ofcard sale, or sometime after the card is purchased. In the latter case,for example, the card can be serialized. After taking the card home, thepurchaser can visit the card vendor's web site and enter the card serialnumber in an appropriate user interface. The purchaser is then presentedwith a variety of simple editing tools to facilitate customization ofthe web greeting. When the sender is finished designing the webgreeting, the finished web page data is stored (by software at thevendor's web site) at a site corresponding to the serial number.

When the card is received by a recipient and held in front of a Bedoopsensor, CLASS, DNS, and UID data is decoded from the card. The CLASS andDNS data are used to navigate the earlier-described server network toreach a corresponding DNS leaf node server (perhaps maintained by theHallmark greeting card company). That leaf node server indexes a table,database, or other data structure with the UID from the Bedoop data, andobtains from that data structure the address of an ultimate web site—thesame address at which the web greeting customized by the sender wasstored. That address is provided by the DNS leaf node server back to thelocal computer, with instructions that the web page at that address beloaded and displayed (e.g., by HTML redirection). The local computercomplies, presenting the customized web greeting to the card recipient.

In the just-described embodiment, in which a pre-encoded card ispurchased by a sender and the web-display is then customized, theaddress of the web site is typically determined by the card vendor. Butthis need not be the case. Likewise, the card need not be “purchased” inthe typical, card-shop fashion.

To illustrate the foregoing alternatives, consider the on-lineacquisition of a greeting card, e.g., by visiting a web sitespecializing in greeting cards. With suitable user-selection (and,optionally, customization), the desired card can be printed using anink-jet or other printer at the sender's home. In such case, the Bedoopdata on the card can be similarly customized. Instead of leading to asite determined by the card vendor, the data can lead to the sender'spersonal web page, or to another arbitrary web address.

To effect such an arrangement, the sender must arrange for a DNS leafnode server to respond to a particular set of Bedoop data by pointing tothe desired web page. While individuals typically will not own DNSservers, internet service providers commonly will. Just as AOL providessimple tools permitting its subscribers to manage their own modest webpages, internet service providers can likewise provide simple toolspermitting subscribers to make use of DNS leaf node servers. Eachsubscriber may be assigned up to 20 UIDs (under a particular CLASS andDNS). The tools would permit the users to define a corresponding webaddress for each UID. Whenever a Bedoop application led to that DNS leafnode server, and presented one of those UIDs, the server would instructthe originating computer to load and present the web page at thecorresponding web address 58.

Prior to customizing the greeting card, the sender uses the toolprovided by the internet service provider to store the address of adesired destination web address in correspondence with one of thesender's available UIDs. When customizing the greeting card, the senderspecifies the Bedoop data that is to be encoded, including thejust-referenced UID. The greeting card application encodes this datainto the artwork and prints the resulting card. When this card is laterpresented to a Bedoop system by the recipient, the recipient's systemloads and displays the web page specified by the sender.

Commerce in Bedoop Resources

In the just-described arrangement, internet service providers makeavailable to each subscriber a limited number of UIDs on a DNS servermaintained by the service. Business enterprises typically need greaterBedoop resources, such as their own DNS IDs (or even their own CLASSID(s).

While variants of the Bedoop system are extensible to provide anessentially unlimited number of CLASS IDs and DNS IDs, in theillustrated system these resources are limited. Public service,non-profit, and academic applications should have relatively generousaccess to Bedoop resources, either without charge or for only a modestcharge. Business enterprises, in contrast, would be expected to pay feesto moderate their potentially insatiable demand for the resources. Smallbusinesses could lease blocks of UIDs under a given CLASS/DNS ID. Largerbusinesses could acquire rights to entire DNS IDs, or to entire CLASSIDs (at commensurately greater fees).

Web-based systems for assigning DNS IDs (and CLASS IDs) can be modeledafter those successfully used by Internic.com, and nowNetworksolutions.com, for registration of internet domains. The userfills out a web-based form with names, addresses, and billinginformation; the system makes the necessary changes to all of the hiddensystem infrastructure—updating databases, routing tables, etc., inservers around the world.

Controlled-Access ID

Just as the above-described embodiment employed an ink-jet printer toproduce a customized-Bedoop greeting card, the same principles canlikewise be applied to access-control objects, such as photo-IDs.

Consider an employment candidate who will be interviewing at a newemployer. The candidate's visit is expected, but she is not recognizedby the building's security personnel. In this, and many otherapplications, arrangements like the following can be used:

The employer e-mails or otherwise sends the candidate an access code.(The code can be encrypted for transmission.) The code is valid only fora certain time period on a given date (e.g., 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. onJun. 29, 1999).

Upon receipt of the access code, the candidate downloads from the website of the state Department of Motor Vehicles the latest copy of herdriver's license photo. The DMV has already encoded this photo withBedoop data. This data leads to a state-run DNS leaf node server 56.When that server is presented with a UID decoded from a photograph, theserver accesses a database and returns to the inquiring computer a textstring indicating the name of the person depicted by the photograph.

The candidate incorporates this photo into an access badge. Using asoftware application (which may be provided especially for suchpurposes, e.g., as part of an office productivity suite), the photo isdragged into an access badge template. The access code emailed from theemployer is also provided to this application. On selecting “Print,” anink-jet printer associated with the candidate's computer prints out anaccess badge that includes her DMV photo and her name, and is alsosteganographically encoded in accordance with the employer-providedaccess code.

The name printed on the badge is obtained (by the candidate's computer)from the DMV's DNS server, in response to Bedoop data extracted from thephotograph. (In this application, unlike most, the photograph is notscanned as part of a Bedoop process. Instead, the photograph is alreadyavailable in digital form, so the Bedoop decoding proceeds directly fromthe digital representation.)

For security purposes, the access code is not embedded using standardBedoop techniques. Instead, a non-standard format (typicallysteganographic) is employed. The embedding of this access code can spanthe entire face of the card, or can be limited to certain regions (e.g.,excluding the region occupied by the photograph).

On the appointed day the candidate presents herself at the employer'sbuilding. At the exterior door lock, the candidate presents the badge toan optical sensor device, which reads the embedded building access code,checks it for authenticity and, if the candidate arrived within thepermitted hours, unlocks the door.

Inside the building the candidate may encounter a security guard. Seeingan unfamiliar person, the guard may visually compare the photo on thebadge with the candidate's face. Additionally, the guard can present thebadge to a portable Bedoop device, or to one of many Bedoop systemsscattered through the building (e.g., at every telephone). The Bedoopsystem extracts the Bedoop data from the card (i.e., from the DMVphotograph), interrogates the DMV's DNS server with this Bedoop data,and receives in reply the name of the person depicted in the photograph.(If the Bedoop system is a telephone, the name may be displayed on asmall LCD display commonly provided on telephones.)

The guard checks the name returned by the Bedoop system with the nameprinted on the badge. On seeing that the printed and Bedoop-decodednames match (and optionally checking the door log to see that a personof that name was authorized to enter and did so), the security guard canlet the candidate pass.

It will be recognized that the just-described arrangement offers veryhigh security, yet this security is achieved without the candidate everpreviously visiting the employer, without the employer knowing what thecandidate looks like, and by use of an access badge produced by thecandidate herself.

Variants of such home-printed badge embodiments find numerousapplications. Consider purchasing movie- or event-tickets over the web.The user can print an access ticket that has an entry code embeddedtherein. On arriving at the theater or event, the user presents theticket to an optical scanning device, which decodes the entry code,checks the validity of same, authorizes the entry, and marks that entrycode as having been used (preventing multiple uses of tickets printedwith the same code).

Ink-Jet Printing

In the foregoing discussions, reference has been made to use of ink-jetprinting as a means for providing steganographically encoded indicia onsubstrates. The following discussion expands on some of the operativeprinciples.

The basic physics and very low level analog electronic operation ofink-jet printers (sometimes termed bubble-jet printers) are ideallysuited to support very-light-tint background digital watermarking on anyform of substrate. (Watermarking through apparent “tinting” ofsubstrates is discussed in copending application Ser. No. 09/127,502.)In general, the statement, “if you can print it with an ink jet printer,you can watermark it” is largely accurate, even for (perhaps especiallyfor) simple text documents. Indeed, there is a degree of flexibility andcontrol in the ink-jet printing realm that is not as generally availablein more traditional printing technologies, such as commercial offsetprinting and other plate-based technologies. (This is not to say thatink-jet has better quality than plate-based technologies; it has more todo with the statistics of ink droplets than anything else.) Heavier tintbackgrounds are possible as well, where the continuum ranges from verylight background tinting, where the casual observer will see “whitepaper,” all the way through heavily inked patterned backgrounds, andphotographs themselves, and everything in between.

In some embodiments, the ink-jet driver software is modified to providelower-level control of individual droplet emission than is provided inexisting printer drivers, which are naturally optimized for text andgraphics. In some such embodiments, the “watermarking” print mode isanother option from which the user can select (e.g., in addition to HighQuality, Econo-Fast, etc.), or the selection can be made automaticallyby application software that is printing watermarked data.

In more sophisticated embodiments, the watermark data is applied to theprinter driver software independently of the other image/text data. Theprinter driver is arranged to eject droplets in the usual print densityfor the image/text data, and at a more accurately-controlled, finerdensity for the separately-applied watermark data. (The latter may beeffected as a slight modulation signal on the former.) This arrangementprovides for essentially transparent integration into existing printerenvironments—no one need worry about the watermarking capability exceptthe software applications that specifically make use of same.

Consumer Marking of Web-Based Materials

Various items of printed media can originate off the web, yet be printedat home. Examples include movie tickets, coupons, car brochures, etc.Bedoop data can be added, or modified, by the software application or bythe printer driver at the time of printing. (Alternatively, the Bedoopdata can be customized to correspond to the user before being downloadedto the user's system for printing.)

One advantage to Bedoop-encoding printed images locally, as opposed toBedoop-encoding the image files prior to downloading for local printing,is that the encoding can be tailored in accordance with the particularproperties of the local printer (e.g., to increase robustness ordecrease visibility)—properties not generally known to a remote server.

In one particular example, the UID field in the Bedoop data can bewritten with a value that serves as an index to a database of userprofiles, permitting later systems to which the printed item ispresented to personalize their response in accordance with the profiledata.

In another example, the UID field serves an authentication purpose,e.g., to verify that the printed medium actually was printed at aparticular place, or by a particular user or at a particular time.

Coffee Mug

At retail coffee outlets, customers commonly order the same drink dayafter day (“half-decaf, short, skinny latte”). Some customers presentpersonal coffee mugs to the cashier, preferring the sensation of ceramicor metal to paper, and avoiding the trash/recycle dilemma.

The drinker's “regular” order can be Bedoop-encoded either on the mugitself or, more commonly, on an adhesive label applied to the mug. Theencoding can be in addition to other aesthetic imagery (e.g., artwork ora photo), or the marking can be purely data. Labels the size of postagestamps may be used.

On handing the mug to the cashier, the customer can simply say “theregular.” The cashier passes the mug in front of the optical scanningdevice of a Bedoop system associated with the cash register. The systemsteganographically decodes the data and provides the corresponding order(“half-decaf, short, skinny latte”), either textually or audibly (e.g.,by a voice synthesizer) to the cashier or the barrista. The cashregister system also knows the current price of the requested drink, andrings up the charge accordingly.

Labels of the type described can be available to the cashier onpre-printed rolls, just as with other adhesive stickers, or can beprinted on-demand. (Small label printers may be best suited in thelatter case, given space constraints in retail outlets.) Customersordering drinks for personal mugs may be invited to take a labelcorresponding to their just-ordered drink and apply it to their mug forfuture use.

In variants on this basic theme, the mug label can be further encoded(or a supplemental label can be provided and encoded) with electronicpayment information, such as the customer's credit card number, or thenumber of a debit account maintained by the coffee merchant for thatcustomer. When the mug is scanned for the drink order, the systemlikewise detects the payment information and charges the correspondingfee to the appropriate account. (For security reasons, the system may bearranged so that the mug cannot be used to authorize more than, say $5of coffee drink purchases per day.)

In another variant on this theme, the system maintains an electronic logof coffee purchases made by the customer and, in accordance withthen-prevailing marketing considerations, rewards the customer with afree drink after 8 or 12, etc., drinks have been purchased.

In still another variant on this theme, regular customers who useBedoop-labeled mugs can participate in periodic promotions in which, forexample, every N^(th) such customer is rewarded with a cash ormerchandise prize. Bells go off when the N^(th) mug is scanned. (N canbe a fixed number, such as 500, or can be a random number—typicallywithin a known range or with a known mean.)

Smart Elevators

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a buildingelevator is provided with one or more optical capture devices. Eachdevice examines monitors the contents of the elevator chamber lookingfor Bedoop encoded objects, such as ID badges. On sensing aBedoop-encoded object, the elevator can determine—among other data—thefloor on which the wearer's office is located. The system can thenautomatically direct the elevator to that floor, without the need forthe person to operate any buttons. (The elevator's button panel can beprovided with a new, override button that can be operated to un-selectthe most recently selected floor(s), e.g., in case a user wants totravel to a different floor.) To aid in identification, the Bedoopobjects (e.g., badges) can be colored a distinctive color, permittingthe system to more easily identify candidate objects from other itemswithin the optical capture devices field of view. Or the object can beprovided with a retro-reflective coating, and the elevator can beequipped with one or more illumination sources of known spectral ortemporal quality (e.g., constant infra red, or constant illuminationwith a single- or multi-line spectrum, or a pulsed light source of knownperiodicity; LEDs or semiconductor lasers, each with an associateddiffuser, can be used for each the foregoing and can be paired with theimage capture devices). Other such tell-tale clues can likewise be usedto aid in object location. In all such cases, the optical capture devicecan sense the tell-tale clue(s) using a wide field of view sensor. Thedevice can then be physically or electronically steered, and/or zoomed,to acquire a higher resolution image of the digitally-encoded objectsuitable for decoding.

Magazines

Magazine (and newspaper) pages can be steganographically encoded withBedoop data to provide another “paper as portal” experience. As with theearlier described office document case, the encoded data yields anaddress to a computer location (e.g., a web page) having the same, orrelated, content.

In one exemplary embodiment, the blank magazine page stock isBedoop-encoded prior to printing. The watermarking can be performed byhigh speed ink-jet devices, which splatter a fine pattern of essentiallyimperceptible ink droplets across each page. Each page can bedifferently watermarked so that, on decoding, page 21 of a magazine canbe distinguished from page 22 of the same magazine (and page 106 of theJun. 21, 1999, issue can be distinguished from page 106 of the Jun. 28,1999, issue). If desired, each page can be further segregated intoregions—either in accordance with the actual boundaries of articles thatwill later be printed on the pages, or in a grid pattern, e.g., of 3columns across by 5 rows high. Each region conveys a distinct Bedoopcode, permitting different portions of the page to lead to different webdata.)

After watermarking and printing, the pages thus produced are bound inthe usual fashion with others to form the finished magazine. (Not allpages in the magazine need to be watermarked.)

Of course, the watermarking can be effected by processes other thanink-jet printing. For example, texturing by pressure rollers is anotheroption well suited for the large volumes of paper to be processed.

On presenting a magazine to the optical scanner device of aBedoop-compliant computer, the computer senses the Bedoop data, decodessame, and launches a web browser to an internet address corresponding tothe Bedoop data. If the magazine page is an advertisement, the internetaddress can provide information complementary to the advertisement. Forexample, if the magazine page is an advertisement for a grocery item,the Bedoop data can identify a web page on which recipes using theadvertised item are presented. If the magazine page includes a photo ofa tropical beach, the Bedoop data can lead to a travel web page (e.g.,hosted by Expedia or other travel service) that presents fare andlodging information useful to a reader who wants to vacation at theillustrated beach. (The fare information can be customized to thereader's home airport by reference to user profile data stored on theuser's computer and relayed to the web site to permit customization ofthe displayed page.)

The data to which the Bedoop data leads needn't be static; it can beupdated on a weekly, daily, or other basis. Thus, if a months-oldmagazine page is presented to a Bedoop device, the resultant data can beup-to-the-minute.

In the case of advertising, the inclusion of Bedoop data increases thevalue of the ad to the advertiser, and so merits a higher charge to theadvertiser from the magazine publisher. This higher charge may be sharedwith the enterprise(s) that provides the Bedoop technology andinfrastructure through which the higher value is achieved.

Business Card Applications

Conventional business cards can be steganographically encoded withBedoop data, e.g., by texturing, watermark tinting, ink-jet splattering,text steganography, etc. As with many of the earlier-describedembodiments, the steganographic encoding is tailored to facilitatedecoding in the presence of arbitrary rotation or scale distortion ofthe card introduced during scanning. (Some such techniques are shown,e.g., in applicant's related patents identified above. Various othertechniques are known to artisans.)

When a recipient of a business card holds it in front of a Bedoopsensor, the operating system on the local system launches a local Bedoopapplication. That local Bedoop application, in turn, establishes anexternal internet connection to a remote business card server. Theaddress of that server may already be known to the local Bedoopapplication (e.g., having been stored from previous use), or the localBedoop system can traverse the above-described public network of DNSservers to reach the business card server.

A database on the business card name server maintains a large collectionof business card data, one database record per UID. When that serverreceives Bedoop data from a local Bedoop system, it parses out the UIDand accesses the corresponding database record. This record typicallyincludes more information than is commonly printed on conventionalbusiness cards. Sample fields from the record may include, for example,name, title, office phone, office fax, home phone, home fax, cellularphone, email address, company name, corporate web page address, personalweb page address, secretary's name, spouse's name, and birthday. Thisrecord is transmitted back to the originating Bedoop system.

The local Bedoop system now has the data, but needs further instructionfrom the user as to how it should be processed. Should a telephonenumber be dialed? Should the information be entered into a personalcontact manager database (e.g., Outlook) on the local system? Etc.

In an exemplary embodiment, the local system presents the availablechoices to the user, e.g., by textual prompts, synthesized voice, etc.The user responds by manipulating the business card in a manner promptedby the system (e.g., move down to telephone at office; move up totelephone at home; move right to access corporate web page; move left toaccess personal web page; rotate left to enter certain elements from thedatabase record (filtered in accordance with a template) into personalcontact manager database, etc. The local Bedoop system respondsaccordingly.

Some card givers may choose to make additional information available tocard recipients—information beyond that known in prior artcontact-management software applications. For example, one of thechoices presented by a local Bedoop system in response to presentationof a business card may be to review the card-giver's personal calendar.(The card-giver can maintain his or her personal calendar on aweb-accessible computer.) By such arrangement, the card-recipient canlearn when the card-giver may be found in the office, when appointmentsmight be scheduled, etc., etc.

Typically, access to this web-calendar is not available to casual webbrowsers, but is accessible only in response to Bedoop data (which maythus be regarded as a form of authentication or password data).

Some users may carry several differently-encoded cards, each with adifferent level of access authorization (e.g., with different UIDs).Thus, some cards may access a biographical page without any calendarinformation, other cards may access the same or different page withaccess enabled to today's calendar, or this week's calendar, only, andstill other cards (e.g., the “spouse” card) may access the same ordifferent page with access enabled for the card-giver's completecalendar. The user can distribute these different cards to differentpersons in accordance with the amount of personal information desired tobe shared with each.

In accordance with a related embodiment, the database recordcorresponding to Bedoop business card data can include a “now” telephonenumber field. This field can be continually-updated throughout the daywith the then-most-suitable communications channel to the card-giver.When the card-giver leaves home to go to the office, or leaves theoffice for a trip in the car, or works a week at a corporate office inanother town, etc., this data field can be updated accordingly. (Apocket GPS receiver, with a wireless uplink, can be carried by theperson to aid in switching the “now” number among various knownpossibilities depending on the person's instantaneous position.) Whenthis database record is polled for the “now” number, it provides thethen-current information.

Consider a Bedoop-enabled public telephone. To dial the phone, abusiness card is held in front of the Bedoop sensor (or slid through anoptical scanner track). The phone interrogates the database at thebusiness card server for the “now” number and dials that number.

To update the any of the fields stored in the database record, the cardgiver can use a special card that provides write-authorizationprivileges. This special card can be a specially encoded version of thebusiness card, or can be another object unique to the card-giver (e.g.,the card-giver's driver's license).

The reference to business cards and personal calendars is illustrativeonly. Going back a century, “calling cards” were used by persons whoseinterests were strictly social, rather than business. The just-discussedprinciples can be similarly applied. Teenagers can carry small cards toexchange with new acquaintances to grant access to private dossiers ofpersonal information, favorite music, artwork, video clips, etc. Thecards can be decorated with art or other indicia that can serve purposeswholly unrelated to the Bedoop data steganographically encoded therein.

Gestural Input

A Bedoop system can determine the scale state, rotation state, X-Yoffset, and differential scale state, of an object by reference toembedded calibration data, or other techniques. If the scan deviceoperates at a suitably high frame rate (e.g., five or ten frames persecond), change(s) in any or all of these four variables can be trackedover time, and can serve as additional input.

In an earlier-discussed example, moving an object to the left or rightin front of the Bedoop scanner caused a left- or right-positioned buttonin a dialog box to be selected. This is a change in the X-Y offset ofthe scanned object. In that earlier example, moving the object inwardlytowards the camera caused the selected button to be activated. This is achange in the scale state of the scanned object.

In similar fashion, twisting the object to the left or right can promptone of two further responses in a suitably programmed Bedoopapplication. (This is a change in the rotation state.) Likewise, tiltingthe object so that one part is moved towards or away from the camera canprompt one of two further responses in the application. (This is achange in the differential scale state.)

In the business card case just-discussed, for example, the card can beheld in front of the Bedoop scanner of a computer. If the card istwisted to the left, the computer opens a web browser to a web pageaddress corresponding to Bedoop data on the card. If the card is twistedto the right, the computer opens an e-mail template, pre-addressed to ane-mail address indicated by the card.

In other examples, twisting an object to move the right edge towards thescanner can be used to effect a right mouse click input, and twistingthe object to move the right edge away from the scanner can be used toeffect a left mouse click input.

Simultaneous changes in two of these four positioning variables can beused to provide one of four different inputs to the computer (e.g., (a)twisting left while moving in; (b) twisting left while moving out; (c)twisting right while moving in; and (d) twisting right while movingout). Simultaneous changes to three or all four of these variables cansimilarly be used to provide one of eight or sixteen different inputs tothe computer.

Simultaneous manipulations of the object in two or more of these modesis generally unwieldy, and loses the simple, intuitive, feel thatcharacterizes manipulation of the object in one mode. However, a similareffect can be achieved by sequential, rather than simultaneous,manipulation of the card in different modes (e.g., twist left, then movein). Moreover, sequential manipulations permit the same mode to be usedtwice in succession (e.g., move in, then move out). By such sequentialmanipulations of the object, arbitrarily complex input can be conveyedto the Bedoop system.

(It will be recognized that a digitally-encoded object is not necessaryto the gestural-input applications described above. Any object(talisman) that can be distinguished in the image data can bemanipulated by a user in the manners described above, and an appropriatesystem can recognize the movement of the object and respond accordingly.The provision of digital data on the object provides a further dimensionof functionality (e.g., permitting the same gesture to mean differentthings, depending on the digital encoding of the object beingmanipulated), but this is not essential.

Moreover, even within the realm of digitally-encoded gestural talismans,steganographic encoding is not essential. Any other known form ofoptically-recognizable digital encoding (e.g., 1D and 2D bar codes,etc.) can readily be employed.

In an illustrative embodiment, a business card or photograph is used asthe talisman, but the range of possible talismans is essentiallyunlimited.

Gestural Decoding Module

There are various ways in which the Bedoop system's decoding of gesturalinput can be effected. In some Bedoop systems, this functionality isprovided as part of the Bedoop applications. Generally, however, theapplications must be provided with the raw frame data in order todiscern the gestural movements. Since this functionality is typicallyutilized by many Bedoop applications, it is generally preferable toprovide a single set of gestural interpretation software functions(commonly at the operating system level) to analyze the frame data, andmake available gestural output data in standardized form to all Bedoopapplications.

In one such system, a gestural decoding module tracks the encoded objectwithin the series of image data frames, and outputs various parameterscharacterizing the object's position and manipulation over time. Two ofthese parameters indicate the X-Y position of the object within currentframe of image data. The module can identify a reference point (orseveral) on the object, and output two corresponding position data (Xand Y). The first represents the horizontal offset of the referencepoint from the center of the image frame, represented as a percentage offrame width. A two's complement representation, or other representationcapable of expressing both positive and negative values, can be used sothat this parameter has a positive value if the reference point is rightof center-frame, and has a negative value if the reference point is leftof center frame. The second parameter, Y, similarly characterizes theposition of the reference point above or below center-frame (withabove-being represented by a positive value). Each of these twoparameters can be expressed as a seven-bit byte. A new pair of X, Yparameters is output from the gestural decoding module each time a newframe of image data is processed.

In many applications, the absolute X-Y position of the object is notimportant. Rather, it is the movement of the object in X and Y fromframe-to-frame that controls some aspect of the system's response. TheBedoop application can monitor the change in the two above-describedparameters, frame to frame, to discern such movement. More commonly,however, the gestural decoding module performs this function and outputstwo further parameters, X′ and Y′. The former indicates the movement ofthe reference point in right/left directions since the last image frame,as a percentage of the full-frame width. Again, this parameter isrepresented in two's complement form, with positive values representingmovement in the rightward direction, and negative values representingmovement in the leftward direction. The later parameter similarlyindicates the movement of the reference point in up/down directionssince the last frame.

The scale, differential scale, and rotation states of the object can besimilarly analyzed and represented by parameters output from thegestural decoding module.

Scale state can be discerned by reference to two (or more) referencepoints on the object (e.g., diagonal corners of a card). The distancebetween the two points (or the area circumscribed by three or morepoints) is discerned, and expressed as a percentage of the diagonal sizeof the image frame (or its area). A single output parameter, A, whichmay be a seven-bit binary representation, is output.

As with X-Y data, the gestural decoding module can likewise monitorchanges in the scale state parameter since the last frame, and product acorresponding output parameter A′. This parameter can be expressed intwo's complement form, with positive values indicating movement of theobject towards the sensor since the last frame, and negative valuesindicating movement away.

A differential scale parameter, B, can be discerned by reference to fourreference points on the object (e.g., center points on the four edges ofa card). The two points on the side edges of the card define ahorizontal line; the two points on the top and bottom edges of the carddefine a vertical line. The ratio of the two line lengths is a measureof differential scale. This ratio can be expressed as the shorter line'slength as a percentage of the longer line's length (i.e., the ratio isalways between zero and one). Again, a two's complement seven-bitrepresentation can be used, with positive values indicating that thevertical line is shorter, and negative values indicating that thehorizontal line is shorter. (As before, a dynamic parameter B′ can alsobe discerned to express the change in the differential scale parameter Bsince the last frame, again in two's complement, seven bit form.)

A rotation state parameter C can be discerned by the angular orientationof a line defined by two reference points on the object (e.g., centerpoints on the two side edges of a card). This parameter can be encodedas a seven-bit binary value representing the percentage of rotationaloffset in a clockwise direction from a reference orientation (e.g.,horizontal). (The two reference points must be distinguishable from eachother regardless of angular position of the object, if data in the fullrange of 0-360 degrees is to be represented. If these two points are notdistinguishable, it may only be possible to represent data in the rangeof 0-180 degrees.) As before, a dynamic parameter C′ can also bediscerned to express the change in the rotation state parameter C sincethe last frame. This parameter can be in seven bit, two's complementform, with positive values indicating change in a clockwise rotation

The foregoing analysis techniques, and representation metrics, are ofcourse illustrative only. The artisan will recognize many otherarrangements that can meet the needs of the particular Bedoopapplications being served.

In the illustrative system, the Bedoop application programs communicatewith the gestural decoding module through a standardized set ofinterface protocols, such as APIs. One API can query the gestural inputmodule for some or all of the current position parameters (e.g., any orall of X, Y, A, B, and C). The module responds to the callingapplication with the requested parameter(s). Another API can query thegestural input module for some or all of the current movement data(e.g., any or all of X′, Y′, A′, B′ and C′). Still another API canrequest the gestural decoding module to provide updated values for someor all of the position or movement data on a running basis, as soon asthey are discerned from each frame. A complementary API discontinues theforegoing operation. By such arrangement, all of the gestural data isavailable, but the Bedoop application programs only obtain theparticular data they need, and only when they ask for it.

In Bedoop applications that communicate with external servers, just theBedoop data (i.e., CLASS, DNS, and optionally UID) may initially besent. If the remote server needs to consider gestural data in decidinghow to respond, the remote server can poll the local Bedoop system forthe necessary data. The requested gestural data is then sent by thelocal Bedoop system to the remote server in one or more separatetransmissions.

In other embodiments, since the gestural data is of such low bandwidth(e.g., roughly 56 bits per image frame), it may routinely andautomatically be sent to the remote computer, so that the gesture datais immediately available in case it is needed. In an illustrativeimplementation, this data is assembled into an 8-byte packet, with thefirst byte of the packet (e.g., the X parameter) being prefixed with a“1” sync bit, and subsequent bytes of the packet being prefixed with “0”sync bits. (The sync bits can be used to aid in accurate packetdecoding.)

In some embodiments, it is useful to provide for an extension to thenormal 64-bit Bedoop length to accommodate an associated packet ofgestural data. This can be effected by use of a reserved bit, e.g., inthe UID field of the Bedoop packet. This bit normally has a “0” value.If it has a “1” value, that indicates that the Bedoop data isn't justthe usual 64 bits, but instead is 128 bits, with the latter 64 bitscomprising a packet of gestural data.

Similar extension protocols can be used to associate other ancillarydata with Bedoop data. A different reserved bit in the UID field, forexample, may signal that a further data field of 256 bits follows theBedoop data—a data field that will be interpreted by the remote computerthat ultimately services the Bedoop data in a known manner. (Such bitsmay convey, e.g., profile data, credit card data, etc.) The appendeddata field, in turn, may include one or more bits signaling the presenceof still further appended data.

Grandmothers

It is a common complaint that computers are too complex for most people.Attempts to simplify computer-user interaction to facilitate use by lessexperienced users usually serve to frustrate more experienced users.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, thesophistication of a computer user is steganographically indicated on atalisman used by that user to interact with the system. The computerdetects this steganographically-encoded data, and alters its mode ofinteracting with the user accordingly.

Consider internet browser software. Experienced users are familiar withthe different functionality that can be accessed, e.g., by variousdrop-down menus/sub-menus, by the keyboard shortcuts, by the menusavailable via right-clicking on the mouse, by manipulating the rollermouse scroll wheel and scroll button, etc., etc. Grandmothers of suchusers, typically, are not so familiar.

Although gestural interfaces hold great promise for simplifyinguser-computer interaction, the same dichotomy between experienced usersand inexperienced users is likely to persist, frustrating one class ofuser or the other.

To help close this gap, a computer system according to this embodimentof the invention responds to gestures in different manners, depending onthe expertise level indicated by encoding of the talisman. For an expertuser, for example, the gestural interface active in the internet browsersoftware may display the stored list of Favorite web addresses inresponse to tipping the left edge of the talisman towards the opticalsensor. Once this list is displayed, the expert user may rotate thetalisman to the right to cause the highlighting to scroll down the listfrom the top. Rotating the talisman to the left may scroll the list ofFavorites up from the bottom. The speed of scrolling can be varied inaccordance with the degree of rotation of the talisman from a defaultorientation.

In contrast, for the novice user, these talisman manipulations may beconfounding rather than empowering. Tipping the left edge of thetalisman towards the sensor may occur as often by mistake as on purpose.For such users, a more satisfactory interface may be provided by relyingon simple X-Y movement of the talisman to move an on-screen cursor, witha movement of the talisman towards the sensor to serve as a selectionsignal (i.e., like a left-mouse click).

(In the example just-cited, the expert user summoned a list of Favoriteweb sites. Different “Favorites” lists can be maintained by thecomputer—each in association with different talismans. A husband whouses one talisman is provided a different “Favorites” list than a wifewho uses a different talisman.)

Printed Pictures

In accordance with this aspect of the invention, a printed photographcan be steganographically encoded with Bedoop data leading toinformation relating to the depicted person (e.g., contact information,biographical information, etc.).

Such a photograph can be presented to a Bedoop sensor on a telephone. Ina simple embodiment, the telephone simply processes the Bedoop data toobtain a corresponding default telephone number, and dials the number.In other embodiments, various options are possible, e.g., dial homenumber or dial work number. On presenting the photograph to thetelephone, for example, moving the photo to the left may dial the personat home, while moving he photo to the right may dial the person at work.

As telephones evolve into more capable, multi-function devices, othermanipulations can invoke other actions. In a computer/telephone hybriddevice, for example, rotating the photo counterclockwise may launch aweb browser to an address at which video data from a web cam at thepictured person's home is presented. Rotating the photo clockwise maypresent an e-mail form, pre-addressed to the e-mail address of thedepicted person. Moving the photo to the right may query a database onthe system for other photographs depicting the same individual orsubject, which can be presented in response to further user input. Etc.

In this and other embodiments, it is helpful for the Bedoop device toprompt the user to aid in manipulating the object. This can be doneaudibly (e.g., “move photo left to dial at home”) or by visual clues(e.g., presenting left- or right-pointing arrows).

Bedoop data in photographs can also be used to annotate the photographs,as with notes on the back of a photograph, or printed under thephotograph in a photo album. The Bedoop data can lead to a remotedatabase, where the photograph owner is permitted to enter a textual (oraudio) narrative in association with each photograph's UID. Years later,when some of the names have been forgotten, the photograph can bepositioned in front of a Bedoop sensor, and the system responds byproviding the annotation provided by the photograph owner years earlier.

Drivers Licenses and Other Cards

Drivers licenses, social security cards, or other identity documents maybe encoded by the issuing authority with Bedoop data that permits accessto the holder's personal records over the web. On presenting thedocument to a Bedoop system, the system directs a web browser to aprivate address corresponding to data encoded on the document. At thataddress, the holder of the document can review governmental records,such as state or federal tax return data, social security entitlements,etc., as well as privately-maintained records, such as credit records,etc. User selection among various functions can be effected by spatialmanipulation of the document. (Entry of additional data, such as socialsecurity number or mother's maiden name, may be required of the user toassure privacy in case the document is lost or stolen.)

By manipulating a driver's license in front of a Bedoop sensor, a usercan request renewal of the driver's license, and authorize payment ofthe corresponding fee.

Bank cards (debit, credit, etc.) can similarly be encoded with Bedoopdata to permit the holder to access bank records corresponding to thebank card account. (Entry of a PIN code may be required to assureprivacy.)

Such documents can also be used to access other personal data. Oneexample is e-mail. A traveler might pause at a Bedoop kiosk at anairport and present a driver's license. Without anything more, the kioskmay present email that is waiting for the traveler on an associateddisplay screen.

On recognizing a driver's license, the kiosk can access a remote site(which may be maintained by the Department of Motor vehicles, anothergovernment entity, a private entity, or by the traveler), authenticatingthe operation by presenting Bedoop data encoded on the license, andobtaining information that the person has pre-approved for release inresponse to such authorized access. This information can include e-mailaccount and password information. Using this information, the kioskqueries the corresponding e-mail server, and downloads a copy ofrecently received mail for presentation at the kiosk. (A user-enteredPIN number may be required at some point in the process, e.g., inquerying the remote site for sensitive e-mail password data, beforepresenting the downloaded e-mail for viewing, etc., to ensure privacy.)

Other cards carried in wallets and purses can also be encoded to enablevarious functions. The local sandwich shop that rewards regularcustomers by awarding a free sandwich after a dozen have been purchasedcan encode their frequent-buyer card with Bedoop data leading to theshop's web-based sandwich delivery service. Or the frequent-buyer cardcan be eliminated, and customers can instead wave their business card orother identity document in front of the shop's Bedoop sensor to getpurchase credit in a tally maintained by the sandwich shop's computer.

Food stamps, health insurance cards, and written medical prescriptions,can likewise be encoded with digital data to enable the provision of newfunctionality.

At large trade shows, such as COMDEX, vendors needn't publish thick,glossy brochures to hand out to visitors. Instead, they may printvarious stylish promo cards for distribution. When later presented to aBedoop sensor, each card leads to a web-based presentation—optionallyincluding persuasive video and other multi-media components. The usercan be prompted to provide data to customize, or focus, the presentationto the user's particular requirements. If the user wants furtherinformation, a request can be made by the click of a mouse (or the twistof a card).

Prizes and Product Promotions

Product packaging (e.g., Coke cans, Snapple bottles, Pepsi 12-packboxes) can be encoded for contest purposes. The encoding can becustomized, item to item, so that selected items—when Bedoop scanned—arerecognized to be the one in a hundred that entitles the owner to a cashor merchandise prize. A remote server to which the item's Bedoop data isprovided queries the user for contact information (e.g., address, phonenumber) so the prize can be awarded or, for smaller prizes, the systemcan print out an award certificate redeemable at local merchants forproducts or cash. Once a winning item is identified to the remoteserver, its UID on the server is marked as redeemed so that the itemcannot later be presented to win another prize.

In other such embodiments, all of the items are encoded identically.Winners are determined randomly. For example, during a contest period,persons around the world may present Coke cans to Bedoop systems. Thecorresponding Bedoop application on each user computer submits Bedoopdata to a corresponding web address. The user's e-mail address may alsobe included with the submission. As this data is relayed to thecorresponding server computer(s), every N^(th) set of data is deemed tobe a winner, and a corresponding award notification or prize isdispatched to the Bedoop system from which the winning set of dataoriginated.

The server computer that receives such contest submittals from clientBedoop systems can be arranged to prevent a single user from bombardingthe server with multiple sets of data in an attempt to win by bruteforce. (This may be done, for example, by checking the included e-mailaddress, and not considering a data submittal if the same e-mail addresswas encountered in data submitted within the past hour. Similaranti-brute-force protection can be provided on the user's computer,preventing, e.g., repeated contest data to be sent more frequently thanonce per hour. More sophisticated anti-brute-force measures can ofcourse be provided.)

Product Information and Ordering

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, productpackaging and product advertisements can be encoded with Bedoop datathat, when presented to a Bedoop system, initiates a link to a web pagefrom which that product can be purchased, or more information obtained.Once the link has been established, the user can be instructed tomanipulate the object in different of the earlier-described modes toeffect different functions, e.g., move towards camera to order theproduct; move away from camera for product information. If the object ismoved towards the camera to effect an order, the user can be prompted tofurther manipulate the object to specify delivery options (e.g., rotateleft for overnight mail, rotate right for regular mail). If the objectis moved away from the camera to request product information, the usercan be promoted to further manipulate the object to specify the type ofinformation desired (e.g., rotate left for recipes, rotate right for FDAnutritional information, move up for information on other products inthis family, move down to send an email to the product manufacturer).

Credit card or other customer billing information, together with mailingaddress information, can be stored in a profile on the Bedoop system,and relayed to the transactional website either automatically when apurchase action is invoked, or after the user affirms that suchinformation should be sent (which affirmation may be signaled bymanipulation of the packaging or advertisement in one of theearlier-described modes). Other modes of payment can naturally beemployed. (One such alternative is the first-to-redeem electronic moneysystem described in the present assignee's patent application No.60/134,782.)

Clothing

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, clothing can beordered on-line by presenting to a Bedoop system a photograph from acatalog, or a garment tag or label. Encoded on each isproduct-identifying data, including a manufacturer ID. The Bedoop systemresponds by establishing a link to a remote computer maintained by or onbehalf of the manufacturer. In addition to relaying the productidentification data to the remote computer, the Bedoop application alsosends some or all of a clothing profile maintained by the user on thelocal computer. This profile can specify, e.g., the person's weight,height, shoe size, waist size, inseam, etc. The remote computer canconfirm availability of the identified item in the size specified in theclothing profile, and solicit payment and shipping instructions.

Computer Access Cards

This disclosure earlier considered access cards used to gain access tosecure buildings. Related principles can be used in conjunction withcomputer access.

A driver's license, employee photo ID, or other such document can bepresented to a Bedoop sensor on a computer. The computer recognizes theuser and can take various steps in response.

One response is to log onto a network. Another is to set load a userprofile file by which the computer knows how to arrange the desktop inthe user's preferred manner. By manipulating the Bedoop-encoded object,the user can further, vary the environment (e.g., rotate left to launchstandard business productivity applications and software developmentapplications; rotate left to launch lunchtime diversions—stock update,recreational games, etc.)

Hotel rooms are increasingly providing computer services. By presentinga driver's license, a Bedoop-equipped computer in a hotel room can linkto a remote site indicated by the Bedoop data, obtain preference datafor that user, and launch applications on the hotel computer in anarrangement that mimics that user's familiar work computer environment.

Audio/Video Disks, Software, and Books

Bedoop data can be conveyed by indicia or texturing on the surfaces ofCD and DVD disks, on the labels (or authenticity certificates) for same,on the enclosures for same (e.g., jewel box, plastic case, etc.), onbook dust jackets, on book pages, etc. Any of these objects can bepresented to a Bedoop device to establish a link to a related web site.The consumer can then manipulate the object (or otherwise choose) toselect different options.

For music, one option is to receive MP3 or other clips of songs by thesame artist on other CDs, or of songs from other artists of the samegenre. Another is to view music video clips featuring the same artist.Still another is to order tickets to upcoming concerts by that artist.In-store kiosks can permit tentative customers to listen to sampletracks before they buy.

Similar options can be presented for video DVDs. In the case of video,this can include listings of other movies with the same director, withthe same star(s), etc. In the case of software, the options can includeadvisories, bug fixes, product updates and upgrades, etc. Naturally, theuser can make purchases from these sites, e.g., of other music by thesame artist, other videos with the same star, software upgrades, etc.

Similar options can be accessed using Bedoop data associated withprinted book materials.

Ad Tracking

Advertisers commonly use different advertisements for the same productor service, and employ means to track which ad is more effective withinwhich demographic group. Bedoop can provide such functionality.

Consider a travel service web site that is promoting Hawaiian vacations.Bedoop data from several advertisements can lead consumers to the site.

Identical advertisements can be placed in several different magazines.Each is encoded with a different Bedoop UID. By monitoring the UIDs ofthe Bedoop inquiries to the site, the travel service can determine whichmagazines yield the highest consumer response (e.g., per thousandreaders).

Likewise, within a single magazine, two or more advertisements may beencoded with Bedoop data leading to the site—again, each with adifferent UID. Again, analysis of the UIDs used in accessing the sitecan indicate which advertisement was the more effective.

The instantaneous nature of the internet links permits advertisers tolearn how consumer responses to print advertisements vary withtime-of-day, yielding information that may assist in making ads forcertain products more effective.

More elaborate variants and combinations of the foregoing are, ofcourse, possible, If the consumers provide personal information inresponse to the ads (either by permitting access to pre-stored personalprofile data, or by filling in web-based forms, or by manipulation ofthe ad (e.g., “please move the ad towards your Bedoop sensor if youdrank coffee this morning”)), still richer statistical data can begleaned.

Rolodex of Cards

Bedoop-encoded business cards as detailed above can be accumulated andkept near a telephone or computer in a Rolodex-like arrangement. If arefrigerator ice-maker malfunctions, a homeowner can find the card forthe appliance repairman used a few years ago, and present it to a Bedoopsensor. A link is established to the repairman's company (e.g., web siteor via telephone). At a web site, the repairman may provide basicinformation, such as hours of availability, current fee schedule, etc.The homeowner may select an option (by card gesture or otherwise) toinvoke a teleconference (e.g., NetMeeting) to consult about the problem.Or the homeowner may select another option to send e-mail. Still afurther option may permit the homeowner to schedule a house call on therepairman's weekly calendar. Still a further option may permit thehomeowner to view one or more short videos instructing customers how tofix certain common appliance problems.

Stored Value Cards

The earlier cited “first-to-redeem” electronic money system may encodeBedoop data on a card that leads to storage at which the random-numbertokens (which represent increments of money) are stored. Presenting thecard to a Bedoop system launches an application that reads and encryptsthe tokens and forwards the encrypted data to the clearinghouse computerof the corresponding bank to learn their remaining value. There thetokens are decrypted and checked for validity (but not redeemed). Thebank computer responds to the Bedoop system, indicating the remainingvalue of the tokens on the card.

For security reasons, the storage containing the random-number tokensshould not be generally accessible. Instead, the user must provideauthentication data indicating authorization to gain access to thatinformation. This authentication data may be a PIN code. Or the user mayprovide authentication by presenting a second Bedoop-encoded object,e.g., a driver's license to the Bedoop system. (Many other Bedoopsystems may advantageously use, or require the use of, two or moreBedoop objects—either presented one after the other, or all at the sametime. The Bedoop system can provide visual or audible prompts leadingthe user to present the further Bedoop object(s) as necessary.

Ski Lift Tickets

In accordance with another embodiment, ski lift tickets are Bedoopencoded to provide various functionality.

For example, instead of buying a lift ticket good for a day, a skier maypurchase a ticket good for eight lifts. This data is encoded on theticket, and sensed by a Bedoop sensor at each lift. The sensors arenetworked to a common server that tracks the number of lifts actuallypurchased, and updates the number as used. The skier is informed of thenumber of rides remaining on entering or leaving the lift. Statisticaldata can be collected about trail usage (e.g., N% percent of skiers skiall day along just two lifts, etc.).

Off the slopes, back at home, the used lift ticket may be presented to aBedoop sensor to obtain current snow conditions and lift hours, or toreview trail maps, or to order ski vacation packages. If the ticket isencoded with the owner's name, UID, or other information ofcommercial/marketing interest, local merchants may give the bearerdiscounts on selected goods in response to Bedoop scanning of the ticketand recovery of such information.

REI Membership Cards

Membership cards for certain stores can be Bedoop-encoded to provideadded value to the member. For outdoor gear stores such as REI,presentation of the card to a Bedoop sensor can lead to a library ofUSGS maps, to web pages with current fishing and hunting regulations,etc. Naturally, the store's on-line ordering site is just a quick twistaway.

Theme Park Tickets

Theme park tickets can be encoded with the age and gender of thevisitor, and with additional data permitting the experience to becustomized (e.g., from a roster of theme park personalities, thevisitor's favorite is Indiana Jones). Throughout the park are kiosks towhich the visitor can present the ticket to orchestrate the visit tofollow a particular story line. Some kiosks issue premiums matching theage/gender of the recipient.

Car Keys

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, car keys (or keyring fobs) are Bedoop encoded. When the car is taken to a shop forservice, the mechanic presents the key to a Bedoop sensor, and therebyobtains the car's maintenance history from a remote server on which itis maintained. At home, the key can be presented to a Bedoop sensor andmanipulated to navigate through a variety of automotive-related websites.

In some embodiments, the Bedoop-encoded object is not used to navigateto a site, but is instead used to provide data once a user's computer isotherwise linked to a web site. A user surfing the web who ends up at acar valuation site can present a key to the Bedoop scanner. The Bedoopdata is used to access a remote database where the make, model, options,etc., of the car are stored. This data is provided to a database enginethat returns to the user the estimated value of the car.

While visiting a mechanic's web site, presentation (and optionallymanipulation) of a key or key ring fob can be employed to schedule aservice appointment for the car.

Fashion Coordination

Some department stores and clothing retailers offer “personal shoppers”to perform various services. For example, a customer who is purchasing adress may ask a personal shopper for assistance in selecting shoes oraccessories that complement the dress.

A Bedoop-encoded garment tag on the dress can be employed to obtainsimilar assistance. In response to such a tag, a Bedoop system can querya database to obtain a mini-catalog of clothes and accessories that havepreviously been identified as complementing the dress identified by thetag. These items can be individually displayed on a screen associatedwith the system, or a virtual model wearing the dress—together with oneor more of the recommended accessories—can be synthesized and depicted.The shopper may quickly review the look achieved by the model wearingthe dress with various different pairs of shoes, etc., by repeatedlyactivating a user interface control (by mouse, touch screen, or garmenttag gestures) to cycle through different combinations.

A shopper's credit card can be Bedoop-encoded so as to lead Bedoopsystems of particular stores (i.e., stores pre-authorized by theshopper) to a profile on the shopper (e.g., containing size information,repeat purchase information, return history, style/color preferences,etc.).

Credit Card Purchases

When a consumer visits a commercial web site and wishes to purchase adisplayed product, the transaction can be speeded simply by presenting aBedoop-encoded credit card to a Bedoop sensor on the user's computer.The Bedoop data on the card leads to a database entry containing thecredit card number and expiration date. The Bedoop application thensends this information (optionally after encrypting same) to the website with instructions to purchase the depicted product.

(Impulse purchases are commonly deterred by the hurdles posed betweenthe purchase impulse and the completed purchase. This and other Bedoopapplications aid in reducing such hurdles.)

Product Marketing

Bedoop data relating to one product or service can be used tocross-market others products and services. Consider a consumer whopurchases a pair of golf shoes. The box is Bedoop encoded. By presentingthe box to a Bedoop system, the consumer is linked to a web page thatpresents various promotional offers. The consumer may, for example,elect to play a free round of golf at one or more identified local golfcourses, or print a coupon for ten percent off any order of socks froman on-line sock merchant. (Various means can be employed to preventmultiple redemptions from a single box. One is a serial number that istracked by the web page or cross-marketed merchant, and only honoredonce. Another is identification data corresponding to the consumer thatis tracked to prevent multiple redemptions.)

Product tags can likewise be Bedoop-encoded. A tag from an article ofNike apparel can lead to the Nike on-line store, where the user can buymore merchandise. If the tag is from a soccer jersey, a certain tagmanipulation (e.g., rotate left) may lead the user to a special-interestsoccer page, such as for the World Cup. A tag on a golf glove may leadto a website of a local golf course. Twist left to reserve a tee time;twist right to review course maps and statistics. Bedoop kiosks can beprovided in retail stores to let consumers use the Bedoop features.

Travel Planning Services

After making a reservation at a resort, a consumer is typically mailed(by email or conventional mail) various confirmation information. If notalready printed, the consumer can print this information (e.g., aconfirmation card).

Bedoop-encoding on the printed object can lead to web-based informationrelating to the reservation (e.g., reservation number, the consumer'sname, arrival/departure dates, etc.). If the consumer wishes to makedinner or golf reservations, this object is presented to a Bedoopsystem—either at the user's home, at an airport kiosk, etc. The systemrecognizes the object type and encoded data, and establishes a link to aremote computer that provides various information and schedulingservices for the resort. By manipulating the object (or otherwise) theconsumer selects desired dinner and golf tee times. The system alreadyhas the reservation number (indexed by the UID), so tedious provision ofsuch data is avoided.

In some embodiments, the remote computer is not maintained by theresort, but is rather maintained by an independent travel service. (Thetravel service may also maintain the DNS leaf node server.) The computercan present a web page (branded by the travel service or not) thatoffers the scheduling options desired by the user, and also presentslinks to other information and services (e.g., offering entry tickets tonearby attractions, and advertising nearby restaurants).

Airline tickets (or e-ticket confirmations) can be similarly encodedwith Bedoop data. These items may be presented to Bedoop systems—at atraveler's home or in airports—to permit review and changing of travelitinerary, reserve hotels and rental cars, secure first-class upgrades,check the airplane's seating arrangement, review frequent flier status,scan tourist information for the destination, etc.

Movie Tickets

As indicated earlier, movie tickets can be encoded with Bedoop dataidentifying, e.g., the movie title and date. When a movie viewer returnshome, the ticket stub can be presented to a Bedoop system. One of theoptions presented by the corresponding Bedoop application can be tolaunch a pay-per-view screening of the just-seen movie at a discountedrate. Another is to download the movie onto a writeable DVD disk at theviewer's home, perhaps serialized to permit playback only on thatviewer's DVD player, or enabled for only a few playbacks, etc. (again,likely for a discounted fee). Still another option is to presentweb-delivered video clips from the movie. Another is to offer relatedmerchandise for purchase, possibly at discount to retail. (Thesefeatures may be available for only a limited period after the dateencoded on the ticket stub.) Another is to alert the consumer toupcoming movies of the same genres, or with the same director or stars,or released by the same studio. Still another is to direct a web browserto an on-line ticket merchant for tickets to other movies. The consumermay navigate among these options by manipulating the ticket stub, orotherwise.

The same, or related, options can likewise be provided in response toBedoop data detected from a book jacket presented to a Bedoop system.

Video Recording

A video recording device can be programmed to record a broadcast programby presenting a Bedoop sensor with a printed promotion for the program(e.g., an advertisement in a newspaper or TV Guide). Bedoop-encodedwithin the printed document is data by which the Bedoop system (whichmay be built into the video recorder or separate) can set the recordingtime, date, and channel.

Set Top Boxes

Many entertainment-related applications of Bedoop data can beimplemented using television set top boxes. Such boxes includeprocessors, and typically include a return channel to a controlfacility. The provision of a Bedoop chip and optical sensor can vastlyincrease the functionality these devices presently provide.

Special Event Tickets

Consider a ticket to a basketball game. By presenting the ticket to aBedoop system, a user may access the web site of either team so as toreview recent scores and statistics. The user may also obtain aweb-based virtual tour of the arena, and review seating maps. Ticketsfor upcoming games may be ordered, as well as pay-per-view games andteam souvenirs. For high-priced tickets, the user may be entitled topremium web features, such as on-line text-, audio-, or video-chatsession with a team star on the day before the game.

Unlike conventional tickets, Bedoop-encoded tickets need not limit theuser to a predetermined seat. While the ticket may be printed with anominal seat, the user may present the ticket to a Bedoop sensor andaccess a web site at which a different seat can be reserved. Onattending the event, the consumer presents the ticket to a Bedoop sensorthat reads the ticket UID and looks up the seat assignment most-recentlypicked by the consumer. It then prints a chit entitling the consumer totake the seat earlier selected from the transactional web site.

Signet Rings

Signet rings have historically been used to indicate a person's identityor office. Such rings, or other items of personal jewelry, can beencoded with Bedoop data (either by texturing or printing) and presentedas necessary to Bedoop systems. The extracted Bedoop data can lead to asecure web site indicating the person's name and other information(i.e., a web site that has anti-hacking measures to prevent illicitchange of the stored identification information). Such a signet ring canbe presented to Bedoop systems that require a high-confidenceconfirmation of identity/authorization before proceeding with a Bedoopfunction.

Post-It® Notes

Pads of Post-It® notes, or other pads of paper, can be marked by themanufacturer (either by texturing, watermarked tinting, ink-jetspattering, etc.) to convey steganographic data (e.g., Bedoop data).When such a note is presented to a Bedoop system, the system may launchan application that stores a snapshot of the note. More particularly,the application may mask the note-portion of the image data from theother image data, virtually re-map it to a rectangular format ofstandardized pixel dimensions, JPEG-compress the resulting image, andstore it in a particular computer subdirectory with a name indicatingthe date of image acquisition, together with the color and/or size ofthe note. (These latter two data may be indicated by data included inthe Bedoop payload.) If the color of the note is indicated by digitaldata (e.g., in the file name), then the image itself may be stored ingrey-scale. When later recalled for display, the white image backgroundcan be flooded with color in accordance with the digital color data.

The Bedoop system may buffer several past frames of image data. When theobject is recognized as a Post-It note whose image is to be saved, thesystem may analyze several such frames to identify the one best-suitedfor storage (e.g., check the spatial frequency content of the note asimaged in each frame, to identify the one with the finest detail), andstore that one.

When a Post-It note is recognized by the Bedoop system, the system mayemit a confirmation tone (or other response) to indicate that the objecthas been recognized, but not immediately execute the snapshot operation.Instead, the system may await a further instruction (e.g., gesture) toindicate what operation is desired.

By moving the note towards the sensor, for example, the user can signalthat a snapshot operation is to be performed. (This closer presentationof the note may also permit the imaging system to capture a moredetailed frame of image data.)

By moving the note away, the system may respond by reading,decompressing, and displaying the six most-recently stored Post-It noteimages, in tiled fashion, on the computer screen. The individual notescan be displayed at their original dimensions, or each can be resized tofill the full height or width of a tile. A user interface control(responsive to gestures, mouse operation, keyboard scroll arrows, etc.)allows the user to scroll back in time to any desired date.

The full 64-bit Bedoop payload of other embodiments may not be neededfor Post-It notes. In the just-given example, for example, the Bedoopsystem responds to all Post-It notes in the same fashion. Thus, anabbreviated Bedoop format that indicates simply ‘I’m a Post-It note,yellow, size 3″×3′″ can suffice. The twelve bit CLASS ID, with eightfurther bits to indicate color/size combinations, may be sufficient.Reducing the payload permits it to be more robustly encoded on smallobjects. (As noted below, Bedoop decoding systems can look for severaldifferent data formats/protocols in trying to extract Bedoop data froman object.)

Alignment of Documents for Other Purposes

While the just-described pre-marked paper triggered a Bedoop responsewhen presented to a Bedoop sensor (i.e., take a snapshot of the paper),the markings can be used for purposes other than to trigger Bedoopresponses.

Regardless of the particular data with which the paper is encoded, theembedded subliminal graticules, or other steganographically-encodedregistration data, can be used by other applications to correctmisalignment of scanned data. In a photocopier, for example, a documentneed not be placed exactly squarely on the glass platen in order toyield a properly-aligned photocopy. The scanner scans the skeweddocument and then detects the steganographic registration markings inthe resulting scan data. This data is then processed to virtuallyre-register same, so that the registration markings are in a desiredalignment. The processed scan data is then provided to the xerographicreproduction unit to yield a photocopy in which the skew effect isremoved.

The same technique is likewise applicable to video recorders, digitalcameras, etc. If such a device images an object (e.g., a photograph)with steganographic registration markings, these markings can be used asa guide in re-registering the resulting data to remove mis-alignmenteffects.

Postal Mail Information

Many contexts arise in which data to be presented to a consumer isvaluable only if timely. The postal service mail is ill-suited for somesuch information due to the latency between printing a document, and itsultimate delivery to a recipient. Bedoop principles, however, allow therecipient to take a postal object that was printed well before delivery,and use it on receipt (i.e., present to a Bedoop system) to receiveup-to-the-minute information. In this and other embodiments, the Bedoopdata can also uniquely identify the addressee/recipient/user, so the website can present data customized to that user.

Distributors of printed advertising can reward Bedoop-driven consumervisits to their web sites by issuing digital tokens or coupons that canbe redeemed for premiums, cash-back, etc. Every millionth visitor wins amillion pennies (with appropriate safeguards, e.g., preventing more thanone entry an hour).

Classes of Bedoop Encoding

The above-described embodiments focused on use of Bedoop data afterdecoding. Additional insight may be gained by examining the earlier partof the process—encoding.

Encoding can be performed in many contexts, which may be conceptualizedas falling into three broad classes. The first is static marking, inwhich a document designer, pre-press service bureau, advertising agencyor the like embeds Bedoop data. The second is dynamic marking, in whichautomated systems encode, or vary, Bedoop data “on the fly.” Suchsystems can tailor the Bedoop data to particularly suit the context,e.g., to the moment, place, user, etc. The third is consumer marking, inwhich Bedoop data is added to a document at the time of printing.

The second class of encoding enables features not available from thefirst. Consider an American Express travel web page with informationabout travel to Hawaii. A DNS leaf node server points to this page inresponse to certain Bedoop data—e.g., data encoded in a magazinephotograph of a Hawaiian beach scene.

Actually, all Bedoop data having a certain CLASS and DNS ID may lead tothis web page, irrespective of the UID data. If the magazine photo isencoded with a particular “don't care” UID field(e.g.,111111111111111111111111), this may signal the originating Bedoopsystem—or any intervening system through which the Bedoop datapasses—that arbitrary data can be inserted in the UID field of thatBedoop packet. The originating Bedoop system, for example, can insert adynamically-configured series of bits into this field. Some of thesebits can provide a profile of the user to the remote server, so that theBedoop response can be customized to the user. (The user would naturallypre-approve information for such use so as to allay privacy concerns.)

As one example, the local Bedoop system can set the least significantbit of the UID field to a “0” if the user is male, or to a “1” if theuser is female. The next four bits can indicate the user's age by one ofsixteen age ranges (e.g., 3 or less, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15,16-17, 18-20, 21-24, etc.).

Alternatively, or in addition, the local Bedoop system can stuff thedon't-care UID field (all of it, or in part) with signature data tendingto uniquely identify the local Bedoop system (e.g., system serialnumber, a hash code based on unchanging data unique to that system,etc.) By reference to such data, the remote server can identify repeatvisits by the same user, and can tailor its responses accordingly (e.g.,by recalling a profile of information earlier entered by the user andstored at the remote server, avoiding the need for data re-entry).

More on Optical Input Devices

It is expected that image input devices will soon become commonplace.The provision of digital cameras as built-in components of certaincomputers (e.g., the Sony Vaio laptops) is just one manifestation ofthis trend. Another is camera-on-a-chip systems, as typified by U.S.Pat. No. 5,841,126 and detailed in Nixon et al., “256×256 CMOS ActivePixel Sensor Camera-on-a-Chip,” IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, Vol.31(12), pp. 2046-2051 (1996), and Fossum, “CMOS Image Sensors:Electronic Camera-on-a-Chip,” IEEE Transactions of Electron Devices,vol. 44, No. Oct. 10, 1997. Still another is head-mounted cameras (asare presently used in some computer-augmented vision systems). These andother image input devices are all suitable for use in Bedoop systems.

Camera-on-a-chip systems can be equipped with Bedoop detector hardwareintegrated on the same chip substrate. This hardware can be arranged tofind and decode Bedoop data from the image data—notwithstanding scale,rotation, differential scaling, etc. Gestural decoding can also beprovided in hardware, with the resulting data output in packet form on aserial output bus. Such a chip can thus provide several outputs—imagedata (either in raw pixel form, or in a data stream representing theimage in one of various image formats), 64 bits of Bedoop data (seriallyor in parallel), and decoded gesture data.

In other embodiments, the Bedoop detector (and/or the gestural decoder)can be on a substrate separate from the camera system.

To accommodate different Bedoop data formats and protocols, the hardwarecan include RAM or ROM in which different format/protocol information isstored. (These different formats/protocols can relate, e.g., to Bedoopsystems employing different data payload lengths, different subliminalgrids, different encoding techniques, etc.) As the Bedoop system staresout and grabs/analyzes frames, each frame can be analyzed in accordancewith several different formats/protocols to try and find aformat/protocol that yields valid Bedoop output data.

Movable Bedoop Sensors

Although the illustrated Bedoop systems are generally stationary, theyneed not be so. They can be portable. Some such systems, for example,employ palmtop computers equipped with optical sensor arrays. If thepalmtop is provided with live network connectivity (e.g., by wireless),then Bedoop applications that rely on remote computers can beimplemented just as described. If the palmtop is not equipped with livenetwork connectivity, any Bedoop applications that rely on remotecomputers can simply queue such communications, and dispatch same whenthe palmtop next has remote access (e.g., when the palmtop is nextplaced in its recharger and is coupled to a modem through which internetaccess can be established).

Another variant is a Bedoop sensor that is movable around a desk orother work-surface, like a mouse. Such a sensor can be coupled to theassociated computer by cabling, or a wireless interface can be used. Theperipheral may be arranged for placement on top of an item in order toread digital data with which the object is marked. (Built-inillumination may be needed, since the device would likely shadow theencoding.) Some forms of such peripherals are adapted to serve both asgeneral purpose digital cameras, and also as Bedoop sensors.

Such a peripheral would find many applications. In “reading” a magazineor book, for example, it may be more intuitive to place a Bedoop reader“on” the object being read, rather than holding the object in the air,in front of a Bedoop sensor. This is particularly useful, e.g., when amagazine page or the like may have several differently-encoded Bedoopsections (corresponding to different articles, advertisements, etc.),and the user wants to assure that the desired Bedoop-encoded section isread.

The “bookmark” paradigm of internet browsers might be supplemented withpaper bookmarks, e.g., Bedoop data encoded on one or more pages ofpaper. To direct a browser to a particular bookmarked destination, theperipheral is simply placed on top of the page (or part thereof) that ismarked with the corresponding Bedoop data. A user may print a “map”comprised of postage stamp-sized regions tiled together, each of whichregions represents a favorite web destination.

Such a map may be printed on a mouse pad. Indeed, mouse pads withcertain maps pre-encoded thereon may be suitable as promotionalmaterials. A company may offer to print a family photograph on such apad. Encoded within the photograph or the pad texture are addresses ofweb sites that have paid a fee to be accessible in this manner on auser's desk. Like mice—which are provided with buttons, roller wheels,and roller buttons in addition to X-Y encoders—movable Bedoop encoderscan likewise be provided with auxiliary switches and roller inputs tocomplement the data input provided by the optical sensor. Indeed, someembodiments integrate the functions of Bedoop peripheral with a mouse.(The undersides of mice are generally under-utilized, and can readily beequipped with an image sensor.)

Gestural input can readily be provided by such a peripheral—in thiscontext moving the sensor rather than the object.

Watermarking Techniques

There are nearly as many techniques for digital watermarking(steganographic data encoding) as there are applications for it. Thereader is presumed to be familiar with the great variety of methods. Afew are reviewed below.

The present assignee's prior application Ser. No. 09/127,502, filed Jul.31, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,104, shows techniques by which veryfine lines can be printed on a medium to slightly change the medium'sapparent tint, while also conveying digital data. Commonly-ownedapplication Ser. No. 09/074,034, filed May 6, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No.6,449,377, details how the contours of printed imagery can be adjustedto convey digital data. (That technique can be applied to printed textcharacters, as well as the line art imagery particularly considered.)The assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,481 details how the surface of paperor other media can be textured to convey optically-detectable binarydata. The assignee's U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,841,886 and 5,809,160 detailvarious techniques for steganographically encoding photographs and otherimagery.

Some watermarking techniques are based on changes made in the spatialdomain; others are based on changes made in transformed domains (e.g.,DCT, wavelet). Watermarking of printed text can be achieved by slightvariations to character shape, character kerning, line spacing, etc.

Data glyph technology, as detailed in various patents to Xerox, isusable in many of the applications detailed herein.

The foregoing is just a gross under-sampling of the large number ofwatermarking techniques. The artisan is presumed to be familiar withsuch art, all of which is generally suitable for use in the applicationsdetailed herein.

More generally, essentially any data encoding method that permitsrecovery of the encoded data from optical scan data can be employed. Barcodes (1D and 2D) are but the most familiar of many suchoptically-detectable data encoding techniques.

Conclusion

Having described and illustrated the principles of our invention withreference to illustrative embodiments, it should be recognized that theinvention is not so limited.

For example, while certain of the embodiments were illustrated withreference to internet-based systems, the same techniques are similarlyapplicable to any other computer-based system. These includenon-internet based services such as America Online and Compuserve,dial-up bulletin board systems, etc. Likewise, for internet-basedembodiments, the use of web browsers and web pages is not essential;other digital navigation devices and other on-line data repositories canbe similarly accessed.

Similarly, while the details of the preferred Bedoop system wereparticularly given, the underlying principles can be employed innumerous other forms.

For example, one other form is to steganographically encode physicalobjects with Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs). The Center for NationalResearch Initiatives and the Digital Object Identifier Foundation(www.doi.org) have performed extensive work in establishing aninfrastructure by which digital objects can be distributed, tracked, andmanaged. Some of this same infrastructure and technology can be adapted,in accordance with the teachings provided above, to associate newfunctionality with physical objects.

Another form is not to reference a remote data repository by dataembedded on an object, but instead to encode the ultimate data directlyon the object. A photograph, for example, can be literally encoded witha telephone number. On presenting the photograph to an optical sensor onthe telephone, the telephone can analyze the optical information toextract the telephone number, and dial the number, without the need forany external data. Similarly, a printed office document (e.g.,spreadsheet) can be encoded with the path and file name of thecorresponding electronic file, obviating the need for indirect linking(e.g., to a database to correlate a UID to a computer address). Most ofthe above-described embodiments are suitable for such direct encoding ofthe related data.

In the business card example given above, the detailed techniques can besupplementary to existing optical character recognition techniques. Thatis, the image data from an optical sensor can be applied both to aBedoop decoder and to an OCR system. Text characters discerned by theOCR system can be entered directly into a contacts manager personaldatabase. The techniques employed in the Bedoop system to locate theencoded object and handle visual distortion (e.g., the visual artifactsdue to scale, rotation, etc.) can advantageously be used in OCRdetection as well, permitting extraction of the OCR information withoutcareful placement of the card.

While certain of the foregoing embodiments made reference to ink-jetprinting, similar advantages can often be obtained with other printingtechnologies, e.g., laser/xerographic printing, offset printing, etc.

In the foregoing embodiments, Bedoop decoding generally proceeded fromimage data obtained from a physical object. However, in some contexts,it is advantageous to Bedoop-decode image data provided electronically,e.g., over the internet.

Likewise, while the foregoing embodiments generally relied on Bedoopimage sensors that stared out for an object at an expected point, inalternative embodiments, sensors that seek rather than stare can beemployed (as was illustrated above in connection with the elevatorexample)

Similarly, while the illustrated embodiments generally employed sensorsthat repeatedly grabbed frames of image data, this need not be the case.Single frame systems, such as flatbed scanners, and video systemsarranged to grab single frames—with or without TWAIN interfaces—canalternatively be used.

As indicated above, while steganographic encoding of the digital data isused in the preferred embodiments, visible forms of digitalencoding—such as bar codes—can naturally be employed where aestheticconsiderations permit.

In certain of the embodiments, digital data conveyed by means other thanoptical can be used. Electromagnetic detection (e.g., of the sort usedin proximity-based card-access systems) can be arranged to decodedigital data, permitting “at-a-distance” reading of data from physicalobjects, just as in the foregoing embodiments.

Since the Bedoop image sensors typically acquire plural frames of data,the extraction of the digital data can be based on more than a singleimage frame. More confidence in the results may be accumulating decodeddata over several frames. Moreover, movement of the object within thesensor's field of view may permit the system to acquire information fromother perspectives, etc., enhancing system operation.

While the preferred embodiments employ 2-D image sensors (e.g., CCDs),other optical sensing technology can alternatively be employed.Supermarket laser scanners, for example, can read bar-code data.Raster-scanning of such systems can permit acquisition of 2-D data(either in bit-mapped form, or grey-scale).

While the illustrated embodiments used a 12/24/24 bit protocol forCLASS/DNS/UID data, other arrangements can of course be used. In someapplications it is advantageous for the protocol to more nearly matchthose commonly used for internet communications. For example, IPaddresses for internet Domain Name Servers (DNS) are presently 32 bits,with extension to 64 or 128 bits foreseen in the near future. The DNSfield in Bedoop systems can be follow the internet standard.

Some embodiments can advantageously employ texture-based Bedoop encodingof objects. Bedoop texturing can be effected by various means, includingpressure rollers, chemical or laser etching, etc.

While the foregoing embodiments have generally employed planar objectsto convey the digital encoding, this need not be the case. Objects ofother shapes can likewise be employed. Some shapes present relativelystraightforward image processing tasks. Data imaged from a soft drinkcan or other cylindrical surface, for example, is fairly easy to remapusing known geometrical transforms so as to essentially “unwrap” theprinting from the can. Other geometries can present more complexre-mappings, but are likewise generally within the capabilities of theartisan. (Such remapping is facilitated by encoding in the data certainreference markings, such as subliminal graticules, etc. The unknown 3Dshape of the object being imaged can usually be inferred from theapparent warping of the reference markings in the 2D image datagenerated by the scanner. Once the warping is characterized, it isgenerally straightforward to un-warp so as to prepare the image data fordecoding.)

It was once popular to predict that paper documents would be replacedwith electronic media. In hindsight, electronic media may be recognizedas a poor surrogate for paper. Electronic media conveys informationflawlessly, but is lacking in experiential attributes. We can holdpaper, stack it, own it, deface it, give it, guard it, etc. It providesan opportunity for physical dominion entirely lacking with electronicmedia.

From the foregoing discussion it can be seen that, rather than replacingpaper with electronic media, perhaps the future lies in giving paperdigital attributes—hybridizing the physical experience of paper with thetechnical advantages of digital media. Such an arrangement makesavailable a great wealth of new functionality, now accessible throughfamiliar paper items, rather than through a “computer input peripheral.”

To provide a comprehensive disclosure without unduly lengthening thisspecification, applicant incorporates by reference the patents,applications, and publications identified above.

In view of the many embodiments to which the principles of my inventionmay be applied, it should be recognized that the detailed embodimentsare illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope ofmy invention. Rather, I claim as my invention all such embodiments asfall within the scope and spirit of the following claims, andequivalents thereto.

I claim:
 1. A method of initiating access to a computer via a data communications medium, the method comprising: receiving artwork corresponding to an object to be printed, the artwork including text and background; steganographically embedding into a region of said background having substantially non-uniform pixel values certain information indicative of an address associated with said computer; and printing said object using the artwork into which said information has been steganographically embedded.
 2. A physical object printed on a substrate and including text and background, at least the background having a plural-bit code steganographically embedded therein, said code being an index to a data structure that specifies address information of a computer resource that is to be associated with said object, wherein at least a portion of said background has substantially non-uniform pixel values, and has said plural-bit code steganographically embedded therein.
 3. The object of claim 2 wherein said data structure is maintained on a computer separate from the computer whose address information is to be associated with the object.
 4. A method of initiating access to a computer via a data communications medium, the method comprising: creating a data object with information indicative of an address associated with the computer; steganographically embedding the data object in a second object comprising at least one of audio and visual data, said embedding occurring in-band within said audio or visual data, rather than in a part of said second object not intended for presentation to a user; decoding from the second object the steganographically embedded data object; and initiating a link to the computer using the address in the decoded data object.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the address in the steganographically embedded data object is a URL address.
 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the steganographically embedded data object includes an index number for use in accessing a data base.
 7. The method of claim 4 that includes performing said decoding and initiating in the same device.
 8. The method of claim 4 in which the second object is in digital form, and is not rendered into human-perceptible form between said embedding and decoding.
 9. The method of claim 4 in which the second object comprises digital audio data.
 10. The method of claim 4 in which the second object comprises digital image data.
 11. The method of claim 4 in which the second object comprises video data.
 12. The method of claim 4 that includes distributing the object to at least certain members of the public between said embedding and decoding.
 13. The method of claim 4 in which said second object is originally in digital form when steganographically embedded, but is thereafter rendered into human-perceptible form, converted back into digital form, and decoded, wherein said rendering into human-perceptible form, and subsequent conversion back into digital form, does not prevent decoding of the steganographically embedded data object.
 14. A method of initiating access to a computer via a data communications medium, the method comprising: creating a data object with information indicative of an address associated with the computer; steganographically embedding the data object in a second object comprising at least one of audio and visual data, said embedding extending generally throughout a sampled representation of said second object, rather than localized in a particular portion thereof, wherein the complete data object can be recovered from an excerpt of said second object and used to initiate a link to the computer.
 15. The method of claim 14 in which the second object is represented by plural samples when in digital form, and said embedding changes a majority of said samples.
 16. The method of claim 14 in which the second object is represented by plural samples when in digital form, and the embedding is relatively weaker in regions of relatively uniform samples.
 17. A method of initiating access to a computer via a data communications medium, the method comprising: receiving data corresponding to an audio object, said object comprising audio data and having information indicative of an address associated with the computer steganographically embedded in-band within said audio data; decoding the information from said audio object; and initiating a link to the computer using said information.
 18. The method of claim 17 in which said receiving comprises receiving said object data from a digital storage or transmission medium in digital form, without said object having being rendered into human-perceptible form since being steganographically embedded.
 19. The method of claim 17 in which said receiving comprises sensing a human-perceptible form of said audio object, as by a microphone, and converting into digital form. 